Teething Trouble
by welsh-nikki
Summary: John Sheppard has survived life sucking space vampires, freaky alien technology, and the forces of nature, so you think he’d be able to deal with one small baby? Meanwhile Rodney McKay is faced with a difficult test of his loyalties.


_John Sheppard, intergalactic space hero, has survived life sucking space vampires, freaky alien technology, and the forces of nature, so you think he'd be able to deal with one small baby? __Meanwhile Rodney McKay is faced with a difficult test of his loyalties. A sequel to Horse from a Different sea, so you might want to read that one first**.**_

**Disclaimers**

_My stories are never written for financial gain, although I do love it when you give me nice reviews (not a very subtle hint)._

_Sadly, Stargate Atlantis is not mine, because if it was then there is no way I would be cancelling it at the end of season 5. Life without Rodney, John and the rest of the team is going to be unbearable._

_**Teething Trouble**_

John was having a bad day. His daughter, Meredith, was teething, and her crying had been keeping him awake at night for over a week now. Meredith had finally dropped off to sleep in John's arms, and he put her down in her crib for an afternoon nap. As John walked past the mirror he took in the dark circles under his tired eyes. Damn, but he needed a nap as much as Meredith did. Maybe he should have listened to Teyla when she suggested that Athosian girl as a nanny?

Reaching for his headset, he decided to call Rodney.  
"Hey buddy, how are you?"  
"No." Rodney replied in a definite tone of voice.  
"Not fair Rodney, I haven't even asked you anything yet."  
"You didn't need to. I'm sorry but I can't watch Meredith this afternoon."  
"Why not? It's not like you're working on anything that you can't delegate to Zalenka."  
There was a short pause, and when he replied, Rodney sounded flustered.  
"I've sort of got plans to work with Jen... with Dr Keller this afternoon."  
"Really?" John could not resist teasing his friend. "So, not a date, then?"  
"A date?" Rodney's voice rose in pitch. "No, no, nothing like that, we're just working on, well something very technical that you probably wouldn't understand anyway."  
"Ok, if you say so?" John drawled, in an amused voice. "I'll find someone else."

John suspected Rodney of lying through his teeth, as he had noticed the looks that the pretty doctor had been giving his best friend lately. He suppressed a small twinge of jealousy at the thought that Rodney might be on a date, while he was stuck in his quarters trying to cope with a small child on his own. He'd made his choice, and he didn't regret it, but there were times when being a single parent was just so exhausting.

John went through a mental list of possible babysitters, but right now he just couldn't think of anyone else he could ask. The Athosians living in the new colony on the mainland were in the middle of their first harvest, and Ronon had gone with Teyla and Kanaan to help out. Carson was on duty, and Jennifer was unavailable for the same dubious reasons as Rodney. Radek was no good with children, and Lorne had made it perfectly clear that it was bad enough getting stuck with practically all John's paperwork, without being asked to baby-sit as well. With a sigh, he collapsed on the couch, and closed his eyes, telling himself it was just for a few minutes. Soon he was fast asleep, snoring gently.

The view from the balcony was breathtaking, but Rodney didn't notice as he stared out to sea, with a thoughtful look on his face. Jennifer was concerned, if only because Rodney had not immediately reached for the picnic basket to see if she had packed any chocolate muffins. A smile briefly played across her lips at the thought, but it was a momentary distraction only. Hesitantly, she reached across and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
"Hey, what's up Rodney, you seem a bit distracted."  
Startled out of his thoughts by the contact, Rodney turned to face Jen, and a look of guilt briefly crossed his expressive face.  
"Oh, it's nothing really, its just that John asked me to baby sit, and of course I said no, because hello, date with a pretty girl, but then I remembered Carson, " Rodney paused and a pained expression crossed his face, " and I started to feel guilty about letting John down."  
"Oh." said Jen, confused for a moment, until she remembered how Rodney had canceled the fishing trip with Carson for a date with Katie Brown. "Hey, you think I'm pretty!" she said with a mischievous look on her face.  
"Of course I do, I'm not blind." Rodney replied with a smile. He turned as if to kiss her, but hesitated.  
"Do you think I should tell John I've changed my mind?" He asked, with a worried expression in his big blue eyes.  
Jennifer realized she should have been annoyed, after all he was suggesting they cancel the date, but there was something about his simple honesty that melted her heart. It occurred to her that there might be a way round Rodney's dilemma, so she decided to let him off the hook.  
"I've got a better idea, why don't we look after Meredith together? John needs to get some rest, he's been looking tired lately."  
A relieved look crossed Rodney's face and he felt a sudden rush of affection for Jennifer, which he realized that he had never felt for Katie Brown. The thought distracted him for a moment, until he realized Jen was asking him to grab the picnic basket, so for once Rodney did what he was told, and they set of for John's apartment together.


End file.
